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England's
First Provincial Photographic Studios
In June 1841, Richard Beard claimed to have “disposed of licences
for Liverpool, Brighton, Bristol, Bath, Cheltenham and Plymouth”.
The first provincial photographic studio in England was opened on
31st July 1841 at Plymouth. A second daguerreotype studio was opened
in Bristol on 10th August 1841. In September, 1841 Photographic
Institutions were established at Cheltenham and Liverpool. On
Saturday 2nd October, Alfred Barber opened a photographic portrait
studio in Nottingham. The proprietors of these new “Photographic
Institutions” required considerable capital. To operate in
the town of Nottingham, Alfred Barber was expected to pay a total
of £1,220, made up of a down payment of £450, a first
instalment of £50, followed by three separate quarterly instalments
of £240. The Licence which covered Liverpool and a ten mile
area around the city was fixed at £2,500.
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William
Constable's Photographic Institution in Brighton
William
Constable had paid £1,000 to Beard for a licence to
take daguerreotype portraits in Brighton. Constable opened
his Photographic Institution to the public on Monday 8th November
1841. Before
the week was over, Constable wrote to his sister Susanna and
gave a progress report on his new enterprise:
“I opened my concern of business last Monday –
for the first day or two I took but very little money indeed
. . . I could not help feeling anxious and nervous, although
the result was what I reasonably ought to have expected –
But I feel every day that I am growing in notice and have
no doubt that I am gaining a very fast and respectable foothold
here . . . I am crowded with visitors all day – from
11 to 4 . . . there is nothing against me but the lateness
of the season.”
William Constable seated in front of
Cruikshank's 1842 picture of an early daguerreotype studio.
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Visitors To Brighton
Website
last updated: 23 December, 2002
This
website is dedicated to the memory of Arthur T. Gill (1915-1987), Sussex
Photohistorian
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